Catanese irises with cream and chocolate are a sweet leavened dough preparation, filled and then fried.
They can be consumed at any time of the day, starting from breakfast, as they are considered among the Catanese breakfast sweets found in bars.
The filling of the irises can vary; you can indeed use pistachio cream, or ricotta and chocolate, as is mainly done in Palermo (where they are called “the irises”).
The recipe I offer you is simple, and the result is delicious.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 2,999.32 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 147.73 (g) of which sugars 49.39 (g)
- Proteins 29.41 (g)
- Fat 260.77 (g) of which saturated 33.48 (g)of which unsaturated 206.29 (g)
- Fibers 5.92 (g)
- Sodium 857.14 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 5 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 8 milk rolls (from the previous day, medium size)
- 4.23 oz crumbs (crumbled from the same milk rolls)
- 2.82 oz breadcrumbs
- 1.06 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 6 egg whites (or 4 egg whites and 1 whole egg)
- sunflower oil (for frying, about 1.5 liters)
- to taste powdered sugar
- to taste ground cinnamon
- 2.54 cups whole milk
- 1.76 oz cornstarch
- 4.23 oz sugar
- 3 egg yolks (from medium fresh eggs)
- 1 packet vanilla
- custard (about half of the prepared cream)
- 5.29 oz 50% dark chocolate (in chips or flakes)
Tools
- Kitchen Scale
- Hand Whisk
- 1 Skimmer
- Electric Whisks
- Sieve
- Pan deep for frying
Preparation
With a hand whisk, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla.
Gradually add the 1.76 oz of cornstarch and incorporate it into the mixture by slowly adding the 2.54 cups of milk
Work with the whisk until we have a homogeneous mixture
Thicken over the fire at moderate flame, stirring continuously.
When it reaches a boil, turn off and remove half of the cream from the saucepan.
Immediately add the dark chocolate chips or flakes to the other half.
If you use dark chocolate over 50%, you may need to sweeten the cream further.
Stir off the heat until completely melted.
Place each of the two creams on a plate and cover with plastic wrap, trying not to trap air between the wrap and the cream.
When they reach room temperature, store in the fridge if not used immediately.
First, preferably with a bread knife, cut the milk rolls in half (for the recipe click here) and remove the crumbs from both the upper and lower parts.
You must leave a shell about 0.2 inches thick, as intact as possible.
Prepare now everything you need to compose the irises.
Crumble the amount of crumbs from about 5 milk rolls and mix it with 2.82 oz of breadcrumbs.
Separately, create a batter by beating 6 egg whites with 0.53 cups of all-purpose flour using a fork.
In another dish, place the remaining 1.76 oz of flour.
Whip the white cream separately with the electric whisks, then the chocolate one until reaching the right degree of silkiness.
Using a teaspoon, fill the top and base of the roll with one of these creams as desired, then join them, trying to make them fit well together.
Sprinkle white flour on where the cut was made.
Then immerse them in the batter and finally pass them in the bowl containing breadcrumbs and crumbs.
Try to make the breading adhere uniformly all over.
When all the rolls are ready, fry a few at a time in hot oil.
Lower the rolls into the oil slowly, placing them on a skimmer and depositing them at the bottom.
Remember that the oil is ready when, by immersing a part of the handle of a wooden spoon in it, bubbles form all around it.
Fry them over high heat until they have reached an even golden color.
Turn them over halfway through cooking.
Then place them on absorbent paper.
If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon and serve immediately.
Storage
In the fridge, in an airtight container, for a couple of days. They can be prepared and then frozen, and fried when ready to be consumed.
In the fridge, in an airtight container, for a couple of days. They can be prepared and then frozen, and fried when ready to be consumed.
Here is a selection of products that are definitely useful in making desserts. Many of these have been purchased and tested by myself. To view the recommended products click here.
Here is a selection of products that are definitely useful in making desserts. Many of these have been purchased and tested by myself. To view the recommended products click here.
